How to Get Start Button in Windows 8

Classic Shell

The simplest method available is to download Classic Shell and install the app. By default, this app will hide the Windows 8.1 start button and boot to desktop without opening the Windows 8 Start screen. So all you have to do is install it and enjoy your classic Windows start menu, with no further steps involved.
However, if you wish to customise the look-and-feel your start menu, Classic Shell has enough options for power users. You can replace the start button icon with any image of your choice, choose how the start menu looks (Windows classic or Windows 7 style), choose which shortcuts open the Modern UI screen, choose icon sizes and even disable or enable active corners (which let you switch to Modern UI). You can see more options for yourself. Just right-click the start button > settings.

If that isn't enough, you can even change how Windows Explorer menus look. If you would rather have Windows show you classic Windows 7 toolbar at the top of every Explorer window you open, head to Start > All Programs > Classic Shell > Classic Explorer Settings. Here check Show all settings and click the Toolbar buttons tab. Now you can add all the buttons you were missing. There are several other appearance tweaks here that let you tweak Windows 8's explorer. If you are hell-bent on getting that Windows classic look, you can take a look at all the options and see what suits your needs.

Pokki






If you don't want Classic Shell's advanced tweaking options and want a different-looking start menu, try Pokki. This app doesn't replace the Windows 8.1 start button, but adds a Pokki icon next to it. To remove the start button, right-click the Pokki icon > deselect the "Show Windows logo" option.
The Pokki menu is also not the classic start menu you would be used to but rather, a modified version that's bigger and better than what you remember. There's a large panel of grey boxes to the right of your usual start menu, and each box can house an app while the left hand side has quick navigation links to favourites, all apps, Control Panel, along with a customisable list of locations such as Libraries, Documents, etc.
To tweak this menu, right-click the Pokki icon > Settings. Make sure you uncheck "Show popular PC apps" to remove the ads at the bottom.
That aside, you can choose the theme, show or hide the left sidebar, choose which quick-links show up in the sidebar, change the Pokki icon to a walnut, home or the Windows logo, etc. There are more than enough customisation options and the layout isn't as intimidating as Classic Shell if you are not used to tweaking.